By Order of the President (Presidential Agent 1)

“How so?”

“Her underlings make all the mistakes, and, when something is done right—that actually happens once in a while— she takes the credit. I personally know three nice young guys who quit because they couldn’t take any more of her bullshit. ”

“And she thinks I’m fishy?”

“Either that or she wants to really make sure you’re who you told her you are before she lets you into her pants.”

“She has a reputation for that, too?”

“Charley, she’s certainly not getting what she so obviously needs at home,” Miller said. “There have been whispers. ”

“Sounds like the girl of my dreams,” Castillo said.

“So how do you want me to handle this, Charley?”

“Except for letting her know we know each other, run me,” Castillo said. “I’d like to know what can be turned up about Gossinger.”

“Like I said, the lady is a bitch,” Miller said. “What if she finds out, now or later, that we know each other?”

“I can cover that,” Castillo said. “You are hereby ordered not to divulge that we are acquainted.”

“You have that authority, Charley?”

“Dick, I was sent on this excursion—and you are hereby ordered not to divulge this either—by a guy who lives part-time in a Gone With the Wind-style mansion that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean near Savannah.”

“No kidding?”

Castillo nodded.

“So what’s the excursion all about? Can you say?”

“The guy I’m talking about wants to know, and I quote, ‘who knew what, and when they knew it,’ end quote, about this missing 727.”

"I think they call that ‘internal review,’ ” Miller said.

“I was about to send my boss an e-mail. I’ll tell him I ran into you and ordered you to keep your mouth shut.”

“You e-mail the president directly?”

“No. I work for Matt Hall. The secretary of Homeland Security?”

Miller’s face showed he knew who Hall was, and was surprised that Charley had asked.

“. . . who is a good guy,” Castillo went on. “He was a sergeant in Vietnam. He and the president are great buddies. You’re covered, Dick.”

Miller made a gesture meaning he took Castillo at his word.

“So what have you learned about the airplane that went missing?” Miller asked.

“Some—maybe most—people think it’s close to here, being cannibalized for parts. Only a few—very few—people think it will be flown into a skyscraper somewhere. There’s also a theory that the pilot put it on autopilot and went out the back door so the owners can collect the insurance.”

“And how many people, just for the hell of it, agree with my theory about what happened to it?”

“I don’t understand, Dick.”

“That Vasily Respin got it.”

“Vasily who?”